Lateral Stories is a research project focussing on the hurdles of career change into design and tech, sharing stories and insights from people who came into the industry from non-traditional backgrounds.

My goal is to show that switching careers is not black magic, and that it can be an enriching life experience. Through this passion project I will explore the skills and strategies people use to make the jump from one field of expertise to another.

Meet the host

Hello, I’m Zita of Lateral &co: a Computer Science graduate who followed her passion into full time UX/Product Design roles in 2014 and never looked back. Since late 2018 I have been moonlighting as a volunteer Design Coach at a coding bootcamp, as well as mentoring colleagues and friends who hope to become Designers.

Through supporting people with their career switching challenges, I realised how many of those who want to get into Design are held back by myths and fears about what it takes to land their first job in the field. Making the jump can feel like an insurmountable challenge, even when these people have excellent transferable skills and aptitudes that would help them succeed.

I firmly believe that going to design school is not a pre-requisite to becoming a great designer, and want to help open up the industry to people with more diverse backgrounds and skills.